


In The Embrace of A Predator

by dddarknesss



Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-01-01 05:02:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dddarknesss/pseuds/dddarknesss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bo was Victor Krum’s eccentric best friend. When he died in the war, right before its rightful end, she was there to pick up the pieces and meet the other war heroes. Four years later she quit her job – rather strange one, mind you and accepted a vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico. But how in Vanga’s name she happened to find herself in St. Louis two days after, amuses even her… I would know – I was there... Hi, my name is Bo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. History And Violence

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Greetings to all who dared to check the story - thank you! :) This is the beginning of the first fanfic I started ever (and at the time I was pretty certain it would be my last - didn't work that way). 
> 
> Hope you enjoy my story and have fun when reading. My first language is actually Bulgarian so bare with my mistakes. Cheers!
> 
> PS: I am looking for a beta if anyone happens to be interested :P

_1\. History And Violence_

__

__

  
_**The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.** _   
_**Albert Einstein** _

 

Can you believe I am actually on an airplane and going to the States? Well, I find it hard to come by with. Maybe that’s the reason my mind is swirling back to my past and my home in Eastern Europe. No, I’m not some cheeky French girl, some _italiano_ with their pizzas or any other kind of famous country (not counting the fact that these aren’t even in the east parts of the continent). I’ve lived most of my life in a small country named with the enchanting name Bulgaria – translate funny, selfish but rather free people and amazing nature (the only things we don’t have is a working volcano and a desert… and a jungle… hmm).

Anyway, maybe I should start with the beginning and the reason I am traveling the Muggle way and not apparating or using the Floo Network. First, I was born and raised in a strange time, when the union between my parents slowly became dangerous.

My father is the most wonderful man I’ve ever met (no, I’m not saying this only because he is my татко* _)._ He was always cheerful, with his boyish nature and sparkling joyful eyes. There was always a grin or a smirk in the corner of his lips, with no regard of the fact he might not be smiling – that’s something both my parents shared. He was tall, well-build man with wide shoulders, messy light brown hair rich with different shades and tanned skin. My favorite parts of him though, are his eyes – perfect orbs of gray-blue (there’s a reason why the gray goes first, mind you).

What made things different was his heritage, or paraphrased – the fact he was to be the head of one of the oldest families in these lands and the fact that his (and if they ever decide to acknowledge me – mine) ”clan” were wizards.

My mother, on the other hand, was a petite woman – a complete and total Muggle, computer technologist and above all very crazy person. She had that long straight velvet black hair, round face, snub nose, that was always supporting the square sophisticated glasses of hers, she wore all the time. She always looked smug, confident and dare I say – before my father, rather alone – both of her parents passing away a long time before they met. She was a solitary person – something that I can say is obviously contagious.

Anyway, they met and somehow my dad decided to tell her about a whole new realm of reality nobody outside the wizarding world suspected of existing and she somehow choose him, despite the lack on knowledge when it comes to any kind of tech.

They have always been a good couple.

I discovered the actual extent of the term “wizard” when my letter for Durmshtrang arrived.

I still remember the neat letters that informed me I was to attend to a new school – and that place changed my life (oh boy, it sounds so dramatic!).

When I grew up and things began changing, I realized that it had been my father’s money that had given me access to the school, considering the non-Muggle-born policy that ran between the lines. I loved it anyway.

It was a great castle – one of those medieval strongholds, that reminds you of the legend of King Arthur and the Round Table but I doubt even in Camelot there has been a fortress as marvelous as this one.

We had labyrinth in the dungeons, ancient forest outside the grounds, also there was this waterfall and a lot of caves around it, in the mostly limestone type of rocks. It had towers of course – could there be not! The owlery was on top of the building. Oh, I was about to forget that this, our oh so powerful waterfall was spilling its waters in a wild river that formed an enormous lake. In it, there was the scariest, funniest, gentlest and cowardly of monsters in the world (and he was actually a cousin of the Loch Ness). As lucky as I usually am, I got lost that first day I stepped on those grounds. Ahh… they were careless days!

Being a confident person wasn’t enough and I didn’t posses these communication skills of my father – in that department I was all my mom. I loved sitting alone and doing my things, not bothering to answer a teacher if I wasn’t asked directly, not bothering to say hello if not in return, or just ramble about something or do normal stuff like every child – later a teenager. They used to call me a snob. Hmm…

   It’s a long ago past now. I can’t go further in the story though, without mentioning my best and maybe only true friend. The same person, who actually found me that first day at school and helped me out. The person, who always stood beside me, as steady as he did on his broom. He wasn’t as cryptic as everyone else took him for, nor as quiet. And he was named Victor Krum. Yes, that Victor Krum – the “famous Quidditch player”! Gods, I hated that name!

He kind of enjoyed being known but fans and matches only took him away from me – was I jealous. Well, I had nobody else. And was he amazing! There couldn’t be anyone more fun and supportive or equally entranced with the fascinating subject of Care of Magical Creatures.

Few years of having my life on a golden plate and things got worse. They always do.

It was no longer just a rumor – the returning of Voldemort, it was the deadly reality. I still clearly remember the day I learned about his comeback – it had been from Victor again.

There were always long goodbyes when he was going to some other country or years later for the World Cup but I had a bad feeling for the Triwizard tournament. I told him so, of course.

I had one other fascination – mirrors. They have always bean a symbol of magic for me – do you know of these horrors of sci-fi movies in which mirrors often turn into time machines, portals or such? Well, that’s it. It was what I was best at. Not the time machines – that stayed in the movies only, and I was too young to try portals back at school, but other stuff... let's say I could do things.

I barely look at my reflection when I work on them – it just… well there are other things to occupy my mind then and it almost never changes. Vic was always teasing me that I was the only girl with brains he had seen with so many mirrors in hand.

When he went to England I gave him one of my devices and we were able to talk to each other. Every night he spent at least two hours describing the so called Hogwarts. Igor Karkaroff wasn’t my favorite person, he wasn’t anyone’s favorite and Vic was not very pleased to be forced into spending almost all the time with him. Being our headmaster only by title, we saw him rarely and it was not him who actually made the place work. It was the teachers and the seniors.

So he told me he had met Harry Potter and that frantic man Barty Crouch. Of course, being born a year after the last disappearance of the Dark Lord, I knew of Harry Potter – everyone did. But it was after the several encounters Victor had had with him that I started to respect the person. My friend was in awe of their headmaster – Dumbledore, but really scared by an old auror (I didn’t actually believe him then) with one fake leg, half his nose missing and a big magical eye that could see through everything. It was just too convenient!

I remember trembling in fear all day on the date of the first challenge. I couldn’t hear from him till the evening, because the mirrors needed al least 20 hours to change back – especially on those distances.

So, when I saw his face in the smooth surface I yelped with joy and then laughed like mad, after hearing about it. I still remember clearly my words:

_"I’m never letting you off the hook for this one – to forget about your broom!"_

For Gods’ sake, he had been flying since he was four!

Vic explained about this girl Hermione (what a weird name – how did they even managed to think about it) and I could tell when my buddy was into someone.

The worst happened after the end. There was a person dead, killed by one of the evilest wizards ever born and it scared me to realize I was the only one hearing about it on this part of the world. Nobody in Bulgaria even suspected a thing! Victor was crushed. Ohh Vic…. The way they had used him with the _Imperio_ curse set his mind and with it – mine. He was never to let someone do it again – I agreed.

When he came back, there were four constant or let's say five things in his life – Quidditch, school, determination, me and the letters form Hermione.

Two or three years passed as a blur in which I tried learn everything for both of us. No matter how funny and wonderful person he was, he was not a brain – that was my part.

Things got only worse. Though Voldemort was concentrating mainly on England, the world outside its borders suffered the same. Not to mention that the government wasn’t doing much.

Then the war came. The war that killed my Victor. It happened right before the final battles and when everything ended I was the one to take his body – under twenty years old, I felt ancient and without him – cold. His parents, if they even deserved the title, never showed. The light in the tunnel were mine, who survived. That was the time I met Harry, his friend and Hermione’s boyfriend, Ron, Hermione herself, Harry’s future fiancé, Ginny, and many more. We became friends and often saw each other.

Using my family name and money (that’s the only was you could do it here because the ministry of magic in Bulgaria wasn’t much different then the Muggle one) I began working in the ministry.

 

* * *

"Excuse me, would like something to drink or eat, please?"

"No, thank you, maybe later…"

* * *

Four years later, I was already sick of it. I went home – which is Plovdiv by the way, and did the traditional camping in the Rodopi Mountain we used to do with Victor. My parents suggested a vacation and when I accepted they just handed me the plane tickets. My father was so proud of making the reservation on his own that even over 12 000 m above the ground it makes me smile.

 

 

*татко (tatko) - means "dad"


	2. Sun Gods And Lycan Sparks

And after the long hours of flight, two orange juices, three times going to the restroom and killing my neck while trying to sleep, the plane was landing. Finally! About half an hour later (it’s pretty annoying to know you are already above the airport, but to have to wait for those innumerable slow circles) I was able to set my feet on the dry land of Mexico, the United States of America.

Since I had no idea where I was going and was already traveling the Muggle way, I just grabbed a cab and gave him the address. The worn out leather squeaked when I sat myself in the backseat, and let me tell you – my ass was actually hurting after all those hours of abusing it with the plane seats. The car emitted the faint smell of cigarettes, fast food and dirt.

Outside the air was dry and heavy with heat. I wasn’t used to such temperatures at this time of the year – back home it was around 20 – 25⁰ C and just like any normal spring – rainy and green so it was a relief when the car finally pulled out of the airport and took the road.

The hotel I later walked in was in average state, nothing fancy but comfortable enough to live in. And if everything went according to plan I was supposed to stay here for at least half of my vacation.

The man at the reception was … kind, I think, though I didn’t appreciate the way his eyes travelled over me. Not that I don’t look good, mind you – I have enough self-esteem, but it still bothered me to see such open reaction. I didn’t use to meet many new humans with my job and the only ones I got that particular look from were my friends from the Quidditch team and there were mostly just admiring the scenery. Plus, the guns, some of the people back at the lobby carried, didn’t put my mind more at ease.

 Another man in simple faded jeans and button up t-shirt showed me the way. He was averagely build with a cigar in his mouth, freshly shaven face, dark eyes and hair. Well, it wasn’t exactly what I imagined the wild, wild west would look like but it was informal and comfortable – fair enough.

The room was just as the hotel itself – nothing impressive – a bed with nice orange sheets, a wardrobe made of old looking wood, carved with some strange symbols; table with white nay. The floor was stony with soft, as it seemed hand-made, rug. The window was looking toward the street and was open enough to let a little breeze furl the curtains and expose the place to the noise of the city and passing cars.

Thanking the man and giving him a tip (for which he gazed rather strangely at me), I closed the door with a tired sigh. Leaving my sack directly on the ground, I just hit the bed, spreading my limbs in the four directions of the world. Vanga help me, I should not have felt so sleepy! I had just spent over 18 hours sitting!

The bathroom was another good surprise, I discovered after I forced myself to move – it had a tub and a nicely arranged shower, AND was apart from the restroom. Big plus! Ohhh, a bath sounded amazing right about then! I sighed and looked at the afternoon sun – maybe later tonight.

I reminded myself that sleeping was for weak people and straightened my spine. Let’s see what this city was made of!

Standing, I pulled my truck out of my pocket and after a murmured _Engorgio_ was trying to balance a pretty be one. I never learned to place that thing on the ground first. Ahh, what can you do? Old dogs and all that stuff.

 

* * *

I took a refreshing cool shower, still thinking longingly about the tub, and changed the faded black jeans with shorts, complemented with a bright yellow t-shirt. It really changed my perceptions – I felt a lot more enthusiastic over the prospect of going out, for example. Dancing wasn’t on the agenda for tonight but a bar sounded just about right.

The ministry around here should have already been informed of my presence and a meeting with the local force was inevitable, not with so long a vacation anyway – I didn’t mind, not really – that meant some new faces I could mock. I’m not good with authority. I’m not sure how I managed those four years in the Ministry – maybe it was the innumerable and rather long weeks in the peruse of different beasts or playing diplomatics with other races?  

I blew a sigh of aggravation, looking at the door – my hands were itching to do some magic; after the long hours of shielding hard it almost physically hurt – I have, all and all, good amount of power, despite my muggle heritage. I groaned and gave up. A little scolding form the aurors I could face, if it was the price for not bursting out of my skin in the next half an hour. Letting my shields little by little was like giving an addict of his addiction. My mind hummed with joy (not to mention magic) and pleasure of the familiar feeling from so deep in my bones, that it actually reached my soul.

My senses spread around the building and far, set loose to search and explore. There was definitely magic in this town. I reached out deeper and for better or worse (voting for the second with both hands – my head hurt big time!) the response came as a cool hand, slamming hard in me, forcing me to stagger on my feet. Admittedly – and I’m not proud so it costs me to tell that – I panicked for a moment.  More so when it didn’t stop there, it pushed hard again but I was already shielding like a son of a bitch. Take that bitch!

 Breathing hard, I shut my eyes tightly and let myself sink to the floor. Ok, no more foolish, careless attempts of suicide. Damn, whatever that had been it obviously knew how to play… and was powerful enough to play dirty! I struggled to my feet, trying to breathe through the knot in my chest. Shit, I should have known better – the war has taught me many things and caution, along with paranoia, had always been on the top of the list.

Shaking my head I stumbled up – wasn’t this sobering! Nothing better than a surprising attack with such force to wake you up! I chuckled and huffed at the closed door.

Taking another several deep breaths, I levitated my truck near the wall, summoning my purse and self-phone – what can I say, with my mom I’m one lucky modern bastard. Now… Santa Fe.

 

* * *

Maybe I was wrong, coming to this city… that or my senses were so messed up, that instead of dodging danger I was drawn to it.

The bar I had chosen from across the street looked homey and still harsh enough to offer some mean drinks and provide entertainment with the drunks that would populate it in the next several hours.

What hadn’t calculated was the probability of it suddenly bursting with magic when the crowd had walked in maybe fifteen minutes after my own entry. It was suddenly filled with power so alive and burning like fire. It resembled the feeling of my wand – 27 centimetres long, walnut-tree and with one of the rarest contents I’ve ever seen – the typical thread of dragon heart, mixed with lycanthrope blood. Needless to say, fire magic was my favourite.

I guess having my father’s eyes, plus my mother’s face and hair, I draw some attention and in any other case I wouldn’t have minded much, but along with all that magic flying outward, every stare was like ants crawling over my skin. What was the chance of me, walking into a lycan bar of all the places in town? Hmm…

" You new in town, babe?"

"Apparently not as new as I want to be." I sipped from my beer.

"You know I could always show you around, sugar."

"Aha, I see! Is that what you call your room – sightseeing?" There were several catcalls and muffled chuckles all over the place. Great! He’d completely missed the sarcasm.

"Maybe." He smirked suggestively, blowing an alcohol smelling breath in my face. Ughhh!

"Go away, or I’ll make you," I warned. "I’m perfectly aware of what I’m doing, wolf."

He froze and the place suddenly became very, very quiet. His eyes narrowed and the woman at the bar tried to firmly wave him away, but he just stood there, as if glued to the floor. The intend in his murky light brown eyes changing form hostile to lustful.

My good mood slipped away and my fingers itched to grab for a wand. What if these here didn’t count as muggles…? _Nope, put that thought away, girl!_ _Too good to be true!_ It was hard to suppress my impulse to throw him across the room with only a swish of my wrist, so not to temp myself more, I stood, finishing my beer on one breath. I walked away, surrounded still by the pulsating energy and the silence, which reigned in the hall.

I got a curious glance from a young man, entering the bar just when I was about to exit. Now that look I didn’t mind – just plain old curiosity, mixed with amusement, when picking the tension and the absence of any sound at all. I swear that in the two, maybe three steps I made to leave, the building became even quieter – they had shut down their powers completely. Wondering who that guy with brown hair and the same colour eyes had been and shaking my head, I apparated. I did look around… maybe. I was exhausted and there wasn’t anyone around (that’s enough of excuse)!

A beautiful creature was waiting for me back in the room. It was not a cat, dog, raven, frog or a pony. Not even an owl. It was the one and only Tangra – my… something. Well an eagle-owl most of the time. His powerful forms were covered by a mosaic mix of warm brown, black and white. It never ceased to amaze me how much the name of my ancestors’ ancient sun god suited him, considering he was altogether a night creature.

The half-meter-high bird was waiting patiently on the truck and greeted me, clicking its beak, as soon as I was in sight.

"Hello beautiful! Already carrying a message, are you?" I grabbed the letter on the bed and sprawled on my back before opening to see what the fuss wall all about. I unfolded the quill:

_“Dear Ms…_

Oh, how I hated that start! It was hypocritical – they didn’t even know me! My mood was already ruined and they were just trying me, I knew it! However, it basically said I was to go in the Ministry around three o’clock and meet Mr. Harrison – how much money would you bet that it wasn’t his real name? These Americans took themselves a bit too seriously of someone would care to ask me. Considering it was past two already and I smelled of alcohol and smoke I didn’t have much time.

Another shower and my formal robes on, I took the small portrkey from the letter. After a second and that pulling feeling I was in a room with three other people. Very familiar and unexpected ones, too.

I think I squeaked (well, ok, I did, happy) – very rare and girly sound and though I was still a bit dizzy dashed forward, into the open arms of one of my best friends.

"Harry, what in Vanga’s name are you doing here?!"

"Hey, firecracker," he said with that English accent that even I myself had picked up due to so much work with England. Hands pulled me away from him just to crash me a new body. "Ginny!" I hugged her tightly and laughed. She was the only girl my age I liked and respected. She and Luna, that is. "What are you guys doing here? How are you? I haven’t heard from you in months! What’s going on? How’s Teddy doing? Spill!"

The third person in the room snickered and I turned around. Bad for him if he thought I would feel intimidated! A tall man with too pale blond hair, grey piercing eyes (more harsh colour than mine) and almost albino white skin smirked lazily in my direction, with that all so smug expression of his.

"Draco Malfoy." I quirked an eyebrow in return and he opened his arms for me. "You sneaky bastard, what are you doing in New Mexico?" I flung myself at him, making him stagger. It was one of my favourite things – getting him out of his perfect balance, no matter the context.

"I’m actually having a formal meeting with you."

"Wha… You are leading the aurors? But I thought you stayed in England?"

"No. I’m living in more challenging world now – St. Louis." He huffed.

"So you finally found some nice looking witch that can put you in your place, ha?" My grin widened. And I poked him in the stomach. He shrugged gracefully which, not being a “no”, was an answer by itself.

"When we called your mother to look for you, she told us you’re in Santa Fe. It was good news at first – we were coming anyway, but then we got worried." Harry messed my hair and I made a face.

"Worried?"  I would have crossed my arms if I wasn’t still hugging Malfoy.

“Two things.” Ginny showed me with her fingers. "You never take a vacation, if something isn’t wrong, and then there’s Obsidian Butterfly."

I think I lost them somewhere along the way (deep frown on my part)… "I quit the ministry… but what the hell have butterflies to do with anything?"

"It was about time!" exhaled Draco, making me jump. Gods, I missed him so much that he even felt warmer! "I want you here working for me!"

I threw him such a look that the others laughed.

"Anyway, enough about me – why exactly are you here?" I had lost count of how many times I had asked the same question in the last minute.

"Visiting a friend," explained Potter, his bright emerald eyes sparkling. I had the bad suspicion he was laughing at me. “He helped us in the war and then several times, chasing Death Eaters.”

I shivered with the memories of that particular time and Draco drew me closer.

"So, you wanna come with us, have some nice chat and we’ll walk you back later?"

"I won’t be interrupting or anything, right?" They just gazed at me sharply and when I thought someone was gonna hex me, for saying something like that, Gin’s face brightened up.

"He has a son, you know – your type."

"Yeah, you are still tryin’ to make me wear that dress you gave the last time. No chance, my friend. How’s Ron and Hermy?"

"It’s only you and Graup that call her that." Harry snickered and drew Ginny in a one armed hug.

"He’s a nice giant – probably the only one I get along with." I made a face again.

"They are expecting."

My eyes grew bigger (try plate size). "OMG! Congratulations! How… forget this, I know how… But when?"

"What about going to Ted’s and then I’ll tell you during the walk back," promised Ginny. Oh, she was the only person I could do girl talk with.

"Ok then. How are we traveling? Side-alongs?"

"Do you remember your project with that mirror a year ago – the portal?"

I froze. I did remember it. Damn well too. "We’re seeing Edward!"

"Ted Forrester here,"  nodded Draco.

I didn’t dislike the guy, more like feared him. I’ve seen too much death in the past years but the emptiness of his blue eyes spoke volumes. "That guy has a child?"

"Two, but they came with his wife – Donna." I nodded and looked at Draco who lifted an expressive eyebrow. I sighed. Yeah, well….

 “I’ll apparate back to my hotel room and then I’m coming along. The mirror is my creation after all.” Draco kissed my temple and I said, “see ya”, I’m not sure they even heard.

"I’m going to a friend by mirrors,"  I informed Tangra as soon as I knew where I was and he chuh-ed a little with one half open eye. Don’t worry, he understands alright.

My phone rang in the same time with me tossing the robes over my head and over the bed. It landed on the floor several feet after the desired point. Oops!

"Hey, Mom!... Nope, everything’s okay. Yeah, I saw him minutes ago…. No, we are going to see a… familiar person of ours…. Nope… Why are you trying your English on me and not someone else? Anyway… Yeah, he got here…. Say hi to Dad and… yeah me too. Bye!"

For a computer geek she never talks much on the phone. Now I had to go to the nearest store – you don’t go somewhere uninvited _and_ empty-handed. Being in a hurry, I apparated with loud “puck” on the street and with my famous luck bumped into someone.

“Hey! Watch where you’re goin’!" I yelled. I couldn’t let anybody think I just appeared out of thin air. So if that required being an ass is fine by me. Usually I didn’t even have that excuse.

Surprisingly it turned out to be the young man from the bar. His body relaxed for a second, but the way he held himself meant he knew something was out of the ordinary. He was tall, taller than I remembered, leaner too… and I knew a trained body when I saw it. Too much time around Quidditch players will do that to you. I passed by quickly, suspecting that his hand was itching for the gun he was definitely hiding somewhere. Damn! I should really stop being so lazy!

* * *

Back at my room (yeah, I’d apparated as soon as the sweets were in my hands and nobody was around) I checked my watch and walked toward the bathroom.

I pulled the mirror of the wall and after several incantation and swirls of my wand it was glowing and ass tall as me. I muttered another charm and touched the tip of the stick to my index finger. The blood was enough for me to draw the needed sigils and activate the mirror.

"Adventurer’s path!" I ordered and stepped into the neon.

 


	3. Surprise, Surprise! Yellow-Cat Eyes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not entirely pleased with the chapter, which is why it took me so long but better than nothing - I'll get back to it someday.

My next step, as was to be expected, was in a completely different room. I was surrounded by warm colours and wooden walls. Despite some sort of weird aura around it, there were signs of woman’s touch here and there - a painting or a picture decorating the walls, a soft rug that looked handmade outlined the entrance to the room. A herbal aroma hung in the air as if the herbs were drying somewhere in the house. It wasn’t exactly cozy, but well – you can’t have Edward and home at the same time. I caught myself shrugging to my own thoughts. Despite the long time spent in the wild I still held onto to some of the more human gestures. Being human is contagious. 

Stepping out of the room, I found myself on a spiral staircase and somebody down there was speaking intently. Hmmmm... I am pretty much an eager eavesdropper so… eh the small things in life...

“I bumped into someone today,” said a hushed voice.

“And?” _That_ could be only Edward, nobody else could give me the creeps with just one word. Funny how sometimes the body and subconscious part of our mind can recognize danger when we encounter it, even with no signs of obvious wrongness.

“I can’t just bump into somebody, without seeing them, Ted!”

Oh yeah, I made a mental note to be really careful of what I spoke – knowing the guy, these people suspected nothing. While with the prenaturals coming out things were looking good for the rest of the magical world not a step had been taken toward our reuniting with the common world. Personally my opinion is muggles wold rather kill us all than allow us to coexist. Witches don't have the best history with facing common folk. I shook my head, wondering not for the first time, what in Vanga’s name, was I doing here.

“She’s upstairs,” said someone, who could be only Drake. Seriously, I doubt anyone can be deaf enough not to recognize the drawl.

“I’m coming,” I said louder than needed. “Where should I be going?”

“Down, left, living room!” Ah, there goes Ginny. Strong willed, this one, but it’s not that surprising, taken the fact she was living with The Boy Who Was A Protective Maniac. I noticed how the steps were barely creaking, just enough to expose a possible intruder if such was dumb enough to pick exactly this house. I bet they wouldn't even find the body, like _ever_!

“I take the mirror is working,” a blue-eyed, blond man commented and my eyes widened.

There was _nothing_ Edward in this precise human being, even the mannerism of the body language wasn't as predatory. His eyes were sparkling with life and he had an accent, which hasn’t been there before; the smile looked a tad too genuine. For a split moment, I couldn’t move or act – he had caught me soooo off guard! Yes, now I could see – this _was_ Ted Forrester. I swear even month after the clean up work after the war - and I had been out for the most of it - I still got the eerie feeling Edward was folowing me around. My mental state wasn't the best at that time either so I was extra paranoid until Potter confurmed that the assasin had left for the US and wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon. 

“Hi there,” said a woman. “I’m Donna. Welcome to my home.”

Still stiff from the impact, I handed the sweets with polite, but a bit tight in the edges grin. A young girl scooted over to her mother, forming a warm smile toward the blond and then me. I returned it as much as I could. Well, I was still in deep shock! Then Harry came from the hall and saved me. He's the classical hero, I tell you... well until he gets really angry or really drunk.

“Everybody, this is Bo. She’s the one you owe the mirror upstairs to.” His palms landed on both of my shoulders and made me relax.

“And it’s working with no flaws.” I went further and hugged him. I’m not usually a people’s person, though I could be pretty neat when needed, but tonight… I just didn’t have enough of the attitude.

“Is Peter home?” Since I didn’t have the faintest idea who were we talking about, I knew the question wasn’t directed at me.

“In a minute!” I heard the same voice from before, only clearer, louder and several halls away. Not much of an improvement, I would say.

Potter tugged me along to a living room with a couch, fireplace (In that heat!) and several armchairs around a low coffee-table.

“Took you long enough, firecracker!” grinned Draco.

That smug bastard sure looked as dashing as a year ago, or let say – as ever, and really comfortable around the place. Malfoy not making faces makes you wary. Maybe there were some similarities between Ted and my dragon, if you look hard enough. Ghrrr – creepy!

Feeling no mercy toward anyone’s hospitality today, I sat directly on the Persian rug, leaning my back on the armchair where the gray-eyed man was sitting, oh so authoritatively. Then Donna and Ginny were chatting about something that I didn’t bother following, as well as the men, who spoke of, strangely enough – butterflies. The word made me pay attention, being out of the ordinary topics. Seriously?! Butterflies?! Last I recalled, they were small, pretty, flying bugs.

“So… what’s Obsidian Butterfly?” I asked, just at the time a too familiar and still unknown man entered the room.

“It’s… You!”

“I strongly doubt it’s _me_ , but I take _you_ _are_ Peter?” I looked right at that dark hazel gaze, and almost submitted to the shivers that ran down my skin. No that kind of shivers, you perverts... ehhh, maybe a little - the guy was hot!

Everybody was quiet then. With the corner of my eye, I saw Donna give Gin a questioning look, in answer to which the younger of the two shook her head.

“And you are?” His voice was as composed as it was cold and suddenly, I could feel Edward’s eyes, peeking from behind Ted’s façade somewhere on my right. Uh! Shit!

“Bo.“ I stood. No one intimidates me! Ha! “Nice finally knowing your name, Peter.” Then again, I didn’t need a fight with the man – they had welcomed me here after all. “Sorry for apparating on you today. I was in a hurry.”

That made him blink in surprise, but the suspicion was still lingering there.

“You did what?” asked Donna and that broke the ice with a lot of ringing noise. _Bing-bang!_ How can you not love that sound?

Not sure how much the wife and the girl knew, I just smiled. That gave me enough time, and finally chose the words. “We just happen to see each other for a third time today.”

“Hi, Peter,” said Becca (I think Edward… sorry, _Ted_ , had said her name several minutes ago).

“Hi back, sis…”

Gods of forgotten realms, this was going to be a long one!

* * *

Being out in the garden was all I wished for – quiet and calm. After all those hours of flying and all the cacophony around the hotel, I felt drained. Literally!

“Hiding already?” asked someone.

My body tensed, sensing him coming from behind. I couldn’t help it… my instincts were there for a reason.

“Apparently not enough…” When I turned, there wasn’t even a sign of Ted, only blank face and dead sky-blue eyes. Darn! “…Edward.” Sometimes I wish I was as good at wandless magic as Harry. Decapitating someone with just a thought suddenly didn't look that extreme. “What?”

He cocked his head on one side. “Why did they bring you here?” I swallowed and blinked.

“No idea… I mean, I’m not sure.” I shrugged, trying to look calm in the presence of the assassin. It wasn’t as hard as I suspected when he seemed to intentionally keep his distance and his body relaxed. He just nodded and left.

I never understood how the others could be so open around him. Several times the thought he was doing this only to me, with entertaining purpose nonetheless, had crossed my mind. Well, it wouldn’t be entirely out of character… somehow. I wasn’t sure, how much times I could repeat the phrase in this house, without being out of place. Many? And on top of all that, I hadn’t found out about this butterfly thing. What a strange life! I shook my head – just creepy. Those too long hours were getting to me.

“Full of surprises today, aren’t you, firecracker.” Draco pulled me in a hug. Oh, Gods! Two of them in less than half a minute! But my smile was there nonetheless. A charming one, I mean.

For anybody, who had even the faintest idea who the Malfoys were, this gesture would’ve meant a scandal. The pure-blooded heir of one of the formerly richest families in England, not to mention, one known for its disdain toward anything less than perfect, hugging a Muggle-born witch! What a tragedy!

I indeed was the half-blood with crazy ideas, and maybe the real opposite of his formal self. He could very well be a lot less than charming most of the time, but he never uses that on me (or close to never anyway). I'm good at pissing people off. That was just the usual us. Yes, we’d had a thing for several months after the war, but I guess both of us were relieved when it ended. Sure, we ended in the same bed (or on the same wall, of floor...) from time to time after we split but can you blame me - he grew up good!; and he's one of the closest people I have.

During this four, if not already five years, he had changed very much, though still keeping this charming temper of his. Despite that right after the war my world had been filled with so many wonderful people – such as the Weasley-Potters and then Hagrid – the most bizarre ones have always been Luna and Drake. Plain luck, I guess – me, knowing so many special ones.

I didn’t turn, when my senses picked someone else behind him, but I couldn't stop the tension from creeping back in. Damn Potter for bringing me here! The feeling somehow resembled Edward, but still less weighted; more approachable, if you will.

“You still haven’t told me about your mystery witch at St. Louis, Your Smugness?” Pretending no one was there was sometimes a good strategy. maybe he would just go away?

The blond chuckled. “Spoken like a true Malfoy!”

“No, pure Bulgarian!” I swatted the hand winded around my waist.

“So, how did you scare the whole bar today?” asked Peter with a light voice. Obviously, the ignoring thingy wasn’t going to work.

“Ha! It wasn’t me, pretty boy, you were Prince Char!”

“Yeah, right!” He grinned, looking radiant. Nope, he wasn’t like Edward at all. And… _Darn!_ … What a smile he had! Yummy! ‘Shut up, Bo!’ I punched myself mentally.

Then, before I could make my reply (and I was gonna go for something witty), something in the bushes moved. Before we knew it, there were two wands and a gun pointed at the direction of the noise.

It was not the dog, which popped out of the bushes, that made a lump in my throat – no, definitely not the Golden Retriever, waving its tail until a second ago. I slammed myself back at the nearest wall, my own mirror earrings slicing through the hot air, near Draco’s throat and pointing my wand at the only other person present. My heart rammed in my chest, my breathing labored, not to mention the hurricane of magic that hid within my flesh and bones.

It had been my friend’s eyes that had seeded the fear in my stomach, and ran me cold down to the very same bones. I’d spent my whole life around magic and especially magical creatures, therefore I knew the signs.

“Who are you?” My voice was calm and distant. Everybody froze (even more than before, which was a miracle on its own) and I found myself at the opposite end of Peter’s gun. Peachy! Damn!

See, I never knew a Draco Malfoy, whose one eye turned cat-like yellow. Nope! Hmm-hmm!

It wouldn’t have been the first time someone would try for me, or Harry and Ginny… nor the second. War means you become paranoid, and everything is a _good_ thing, when it saves your life.

He was calm, no muscle on his face moving, but then again, seldom is there a human who can control himself as good as a Malfoy. "I’m me – Draco Malfoy, son of the Death Eater and already dead Lucius Malfoy."

“Prove it! And if you move even a hair on your body, at least one of you is dead!” I hissed, seeing the change in Peter’s gaze with the corner of my eye. I knew that glint, along with the freezing heat slipping through that dark gaze. Oh, I knew it well!

Good thing he listened.

“It’s okay, mate… we do have some like you after us most of the time,” said the blond to the Muggle and then turned back to me. “Remember when we were at the beach at the Black Sea? That was the first time you showed me your _Patronus;_ it was the place where you almost died… after I challenged you about not making it alive, after jumping over that high cliff.”

I nodded curtly and lowered my hand, the little mirrors returning back to my ears, almost like they possessed a mind of their own. They didn’t, but it had scared the hell out of me the first time I had seen it from the side.

“What happened?” But I wasn’t sure, if I wanted the answer.


	4. Old Tales of The Future

“I’m not a _pureblood_ anymore.” There was so much bitterness and self-mockery in this one word that the hurt reached even me. He continued with a sneer, “I got bitten.”

During his little speech, I had stiffened in shock, my eyes big as tennis balls. Well, excuse me for knowing what was going to follow!

“Drake… I’m… Oh, Gods! What happened? How…”

“You should come in, the dinner is re…” Becca picked the tension and immediately ducked back in. Smart girl. I would have poked the bear.

“Dragon, why didn’t I know of this? Why would you not tell me? _Me_ , of all people?”

It sounded egoistic… and it was. But opposite to any logic, and though it should have been his drama, I felt betrayed. Stupid, I know, but still true. Sometimes, you have to admit some truth, at least to yourself.

“What are you?” Strangely, in the given situation, the question was directed at me and coming from Peter.

Look at that!  In his eyes I saw something new this time – respect. I had been marked as strong and dangerous. Super! (sigh)

I shoved my wand back in its initial special pocket and my mind finally caught up with his last words. Darn, didn’t he know? My questioning look met Draco’s – true to his nature, he just shrugged gracefully, the way only he could master. Oh, Gods of forgotten realms!

“I’m what he used to be… translate – no furry-fanged additions.” Make it funny and sincere, and it takes the attention of the fact itself. Or I hoped.

Just as I was about to rain the blond down with full force questions, a phone rang. With great surprise and a healthy dose of amusement, I watched my magical friend, fumbling with _his own self phone_ mind you _,_ and after looking at the display, responding immediately.

“Ana, what is the matter?… What!? When?… But who?… What did Richard say?... No. I’ll be there in ten minutes… No, I’m not in town.” And the line went dead.

His face had gotten ashen, eyes frantic and blazing, hands trembling. Oh boy! Poke the bear, poke the bear… RUN!

“Sylvie is missing.”

“Who?”

“His girlfriend,” explained Peter’s flat voice.

Oh... well my question would obviously wait and I would've probably been pouting if the last minute wasn't such a rush of information. 'Priorities, Bo!'

“What do we do?”

Peter had already come back with the others (no girl and mother, mind you).

“Do you remember the other mirror you did?” I heard. Well… Duh! I glared and Harry cleared his throat. Then my brain clicked. Yes, I could be dense sometimes.

“But the blood you gave me…” I turned toward Edward. “Do you understand for whom I was making it?”

“Perfectly.” Oh. It sounded final. Not on my watch, boys and girls!

“I hate to burst everybody’s bubble, but are we to actually let a Necromancer have us?” It did sound crazy and therefore very much possible.

“Should have thought about that, before making the portal,” someone added and… oh, well then…

“True.” It was.

During this pleasant exchange, Draco was already in motion, walking the stairs and giving orders. I loved seeing him like his, only not when somebody was kidnapped.

“Potter – both of you, find what you can! You do have the connections. Bo – need you with me. Peter – are you coming?”

“Of course” I gave a side-along glance at that. That would be fun. Did he even have the faintest idea how to escape a curse? Then maybe, we weren’t fighting magic for a change and he seemed pretty useful as a brute force.

Draco turned toward me again, stopping for a fleeting moment before opening the door, leading us to the room with the portal.

“Bo, no looking pale gentlemen in the face; shield like a Snape under Cruciatus!”

“Vampires.” I nodded, still not able to understand what it had to with all of this. I don’t like undead in general. Maybe knowing some ugly, beautiful ladies was a reason too. Gods of forgotten realms, I hate old vamps! Bringing the name of the ex Head of Slytherin and just as ex-living professor, meant we were in trouble. Big time!

“Gin, tell Tangra, ok? She nodded, apparating after her husband. Sometimes it is easy to forget how fierce she is.

We finally reached our destination, and I tipped the mirror with the end of my wand.

“Lunatic aerials,” I commanded, but the surface flared, with a smoldered darken shade. Oh, goody! How much would you bet that they were not going to like this? I breathed a sigh. “It’s not activated. She hadn’t done the spell. There is no way we can cross this.” I shook my head. That was not my place to be sorry, but it still was on the tip of my tongue.

“WHAT?! WE NEED TO GO RIGHT NOW!” I’m almost positive that no one besides Snape, or maybe Harry, had ever witnessed a Draco Malfoy out of control. Not one had ever managed to do something about his condition (on the brink of either a nervous breakdown, or of a power eruption, I mean).

“Apparate! We’ll come as fast as possible.” Ha, like we could stop him, even if we wanted. I knew that look.

“I can take you wi…”

“It’s too far,” I cut him. I was flattered, but he wasn’t rational. There was no info on what the status of wherever we were going would be. No way was I tiring him more than necessary. “GO!”

He stayed enough for us to see him nod and disappeared out of the thin air.

“He’d never done this from the house before”, informed a voice. Shit! I had completely forgotten Peter. Edward was waiting on the doorframe, with a serious expression. No Ted… plain old Ed.

“We need a car,” I stated. Keep your mind on the job, girl!

“We need tickets. About three hours of flight, till we reach St. Louis.”

“The same airport I used to get to Santa Fe?” This could go smoother than I’d thought.

“Should be,” he said cautiously.

“Take your things and do it fast,” I ordered. When it’s about friends, it doesn’t matter who I’m pissing off.  He rushed out with one last glance at me.

“Wars never end, do they?” asked Edward, with a hint of a cat-smile. I involuntary narrowed my eyes. I highly doubted, he was one for small talk.

“Just battles.” I shrugged, but my magic spun wild within the boundaries of the flesh. He looked so passive and calm, it actually irked me. ‘Hurry slowly’ – I never manage to follow that one. Sigh. Taking one deep breath was enough to make me gather myself. Just in time for Peter to come with his backpack. Oh, that looked heavy! Guns usually are.

“Take it off,” I waved at him. We were losing precious time, when my dragon needed me. He clearly wanted to protest, but Edward nodded and he quieted. Geez, maybe Death had seen something in me after all!

Taking my wand out and quick flicker with a murmured incantation, was all it took for the bag to take the size of a self-phone.

“Now we don’t need permission and papers for all these. Close your eyes!” I reached for him, but he’d already moved, ghosting away. Grrr!

“If you even try to do something, I’ll kill you,” responded the young man to my raised eyebrow. I could live with that. He was serious, I could respect that… usually.

“I know” Well, I did. ”My friend is in danger. We need to go. NOW!”

***

 

I'd apparated us back to my room and then straight to the airport. A woman fainted, when we suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the ladies room no less. I cursed. Sometimes soon, I needed to bug Harry about his invisibility cloak - sneaking in Ginny’s room, among the other things of course, wasn’t an issue anymore, so he basically had no need of it.

We were now sitting in the lobby, waiting for the plane. I hate waiting, almost as much as I hate old vamps – too much. It gives me enough time to wonder and speculate, and we all know that it doesn’t help anyone.

Anyways, the plane was supposed to be here in half an hour.

My head was resting in my palms tiredly, but I spared few glances in Peter’s direction. Gods, people were so stupid! One look was enough to understand how dangerous he was, the way his chocolate–chestnut eyes swept over the crowd, searching for danger; or just the way he held himself.

“Ten bucks for your thoughts,” he said, not taking his eyes off the crowd. I smirked. He wished!

“Sorry, I’m not going to boost your self-esteem even more.” That made him glance at me. Finally!

“What are you doing in Santa Fe?”

“I’m on a vacation.” I frowned and growled with irritation. “I was supposed to stay out of trouble and have fun. See how that’s coming!” The last was more to me than somebody else. Not that I had the illusion, he’d missed it.

***

I was trying to rest my eyes, while the turbulence passed. We’d been in a complete silence for the past hours, none of us actually having the desire to break it. But I needed information. Ugh!

“So how many vampires are there in St Louis?”

He lifted his eyes questioningly, amusement lurking in their brown depths.  He was having me on this. Great! Just bloody fucking fantastic!

“How many have you seen?”

“You’ve spent too much time around Malfoy,” I sighed.

“Enough to make you head spin.” Are you fond of double meanings, because when I’m that tired, I’m easily irritable and couldn’t, for the life of me, find it enjoyable. Or was it there somewhere? I actually did posses a good sense of humor usually.

“Well, I’ve apparated, without spliching myself even dead drunk.” When the silence prolonged, I rolled my eyes. “It was a joke – people usually laugh at those.”

He snickered.

“Now you do! Gods! Muggles!”

“Who?”

“Non-magical folk,” I answered, more out of habit, than actually thinking it over. “Who’s Sylvie, besides Dragon’s girlfriend?”

“Geri of the Thronos Rokke Clan.”

“English or Bulgarian, please! Norse mythology is not really my thing.”

“Powerful enough werewolf from the local pack.” My eyes got that plate size again. Yummy! “Second in command, if you prefer.”

“Ana?”

“He and Richard are the only ones that call her that, which pisses the Ulfric more than is acceptable. She’s your Necromancer – Anita Blake.” He smiled and on his lips I found something dark and enjoyable, velvet but bitter promise.

“I’ve made Lunatic Aerials for Anita Blake?”

“That should be the mirror you’re talking about… “ He nodded. “And speak quietly!”

“Oh, hush! You’re not my mom! And the only one listening is that jerk over there, who is pretending to be listening to his music and failing.”

The said person quickly averted his eyes. Peter laughed and winked. His moods were shifting faster than a woman’s, which was disturbing and a mark of great acting abilities, shortly – it was making me nervous.

“Do I look like your mother?”

“No. She’s beautiful.” He lifted and eyebrow and it almost made me glad. Almost. “You’re handsome, not pretty. And no, I’m not flirting!” I lifted my hands in the air, in mock surrender. “Well, maybe a little… not sure. I’m too tired.” I sighed.

“Really blunt, aren’t you?”

“Brings colours,” I muttered, too lazy to speak properly. “So, who are we meeting, besides one third of the famous triumvirate?” 

 He chose that moment to tense. I guess, taken the lack of information about everything else, I shouldn’t have known that.

“I can read newspapers and investigate, you know. After that, making the connection is not that hard. We are not in the middle ages anymore. At least I’m not. So Richard is that particular wolf? And what was that French name… Jean… Paul, or something?” Ok, pretending to be dense sometimes helps. And sometimes, I don’t dislike lying so much.

“…Claude.”

“Ahh…” After several minutes in the presence of the soundless companionship and the too many things that were disturbing my so-not-working-properly brain, I wanted to scream. “Vanga help me, I don’t wanna do this!” I let myself mutter.

“Then why do you?”

I glared at his serious brown eyes and thought of not responding at all. It was an idiotic question! But on the other hand…

“That’s rather stupid question. I thought you were smart” I know, it’s not very original, but I _was dead on my feet (_ figuratively speaking, for I was currently sitting)!

He shook his head, but didn’t sigh, which I’d almost expected him to do. I would have. Ah, loving world of ours, how much more will you endure?

Slowly and reluctantly (for my part) I squeezed out information about the place we were going. I tried not to take any interest in vampire politics usually, because of unhealthy experiences from the past, but the case with the triumvirate was a bit special.

I didn’t get that much info, but ‘Jeez!’ – this Blake woman had things on her shoulders. I mean, there wasn’t a muggle-known prenatural creature that could get past her radar… except me. Thought, after consideration, with Draco along (and behind him a whole nest of aurors) somewhere in all that mess, she was secured when it came to the wizarding world too.

“So, how do you know the Potters?”

“Ted worked with them – with Harry. After that, I helped chasing some of the bad guys, along with his wife and the other ginger-heads.”

“Death Eaters.” I was glad to know we were playing the same game. There was no way he had participated in the chases, and to not seen somebody apparate.

“Some of them were pretty good.”

“And evil!” I frowned stubbornly. Hating the enemy helps. I learned it the hard way.  I came close to, if not losing my life, than my arm for sure because of pity.

“Draco came after the fall – his first time out of England. I was with Anita at that time and we befriended.” I snorted. To befriend a Malfoy?”

“I may not be able to smell you, but that was most certainly a lie.”

“Sort of. It’s the extremely short story. The plane is landing.” And that closed the discussion. Fine by me!

It was shorter than my last time, for which I was grateful. Despite the silence, I felt comfortable around him. Peter, I mean. A surprise, really!

Finally off the plane, we chose a cab as fast as we could and hopped inside.

“Where are we going?”

“Anita’s house,” he explained, after telling some address I didn’t catch to the driver. Goody!


End file.
